CULLMAN, Ala. – Local mom Jennifer Garcia, along with a group of other homeschool parents, in 2018 started the Cullman Homeschool Activities & Resource Group (CHARGe). The group was created to serve homeschool families in and around Cullman and offers activities, field trips and social learning opportunities. Garcia said she gains three to five new members every week. It is part of a larger resource for families: the Cullman Homeschool Connection.
Of her decision to homeschool her own children, now 24, 19, 14 and 11, Garcia said, “I did not believe school, as society has structured it, was meant to create well-rounded, truly educated people. Children should be taught how to think, to question, to seek out and devour knowledge – both secular and scriptural.”
Now a homeschool veteran, having been doing it for almost 20 years, Garcia said she was not always so confident in her choice.
“In the beginning, I second guessed. It was terrifying to realize that by homeschooling I was solely responsible for educating my child, and if I failed, he would pay the price; however, I knew that ‘God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.’ With God at my right hand, I would not be moved,” she shared. “The true test came when we discovered our son had convergence insufficiency, an eye condition that delayed his ability to read on his own until he was about 11. Today, that child is a physicist with concentrations in both theoretical as well as astrophysics about to graduate with his master’s (degree).”
Garcia believes that by allowing children to foster their own interests and not forcing them into extracurricular activities they do not want to do, it allows them to develop faster in the areas they prefer.
“If you let a child go in the direction that they’re interested (in), as long as it’s a productive direction, and you just try to guide them – they’re just little people – by the time they get to be a teenager they are going to have a much better idea of what they want to do,” she said.
Garcia said she requires her kids to accomplish a certain amount of work in each subject daily, so they cannot spend all of their time on their specific interests, but they are able to learn at the rate they choose in each subject.
She explained, “There are so many people that are leaving public schools, and I am not anti-teacher; we’ve got some great public school teachers, but it is not designed to be individualized education. It’s designed to herd as many kids through as possible and educate to their lowest common denominator through ‘no child left behind.’”
When Garcia moved back to Cullman from Madison in 2015, she said, she realized there were not many resources for homeschoolers.
“Home School Connection was started in 2017 to be a voice for homeschoolers in the Cullman area,” she said. “Cullman Homeschool Co-op was created in 2016 and CHARGe in 2018. Each are different levels of the same organization and have different purposes.”
CHARGe was created to bring the community together and help people find their niche, she said. It is a resource and support group for those who would rather free range their activities instead of committing to a co-op – a cooperative school where parents meet regularly to trade skills.
Garcia said she has no issues keeping her kids socialized. Through Cullman Homeschool Co-op, many kids are educated in a group with other homeschoolers two to three times a week. There are also several extracurricular activities planned for the CHARGe group.
“We always have something planned: graduation, field day, game club, prom, field trips, teen social activities like a murder mystery party or a winter dance, an arts festival. We have homeschool skate every month. As homeschoolers, we have to create our own activities and opportunities for our kiddos – no one is going to do it for us. A couple of years ago we did a learning lab at the water plant where the kids built their own water filtration system and tested it against the municipal system. It was a great experience,” she said.
Cullman Homeschool Skate was held last Friday at Sportsworld Skate Center in Vinemont as a back-to-school bash for the kids.
CHARGe has a baseball team coached by homeschool dads John Preiss, Ron Hill and Cory Drummond.
“We are planning long term to do soccer, football as well. We have enough kids to form the team, have a sponsor for uniforms, a home field, had our first practice and already have agreements for opponents.”
The Cullman Homeschool Drama Club was formed to give kids a chance to perform small productions and practice their acting skills in preparation for community auditions. There are two locations for participation: Cullman (Cullman Homeschool Connection) and Hanceville (Center Hill Baptist Church).
Learn more about the Cullman home school community at www.cullmanhomeschool.com.
Copyright 2022 Humble Roots, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
